Chu Chu

by Bret Harte

I do not believe that the most enthusiastic lover of that "useful andnoble animal," the horse, will claim for him the charm of geniality,humor, or expansive confidence. Any creature who will not look yousquarely in the eye--whose only oblique glances are inspired by fear,distrust, or a view to attack, who has no way of returning caresses,and whose favorite expression is one of head-lifting disdain, may be"noble" or "useful," but can be hardly said to add to the gayety ofnations. Indeed it may be broadly stated that, with the singleexception of gold-fish, of all animals kept for the recreation ofmankind the horse is alone capable of exciting a passion that shall beabsolutely hopeless. I deem these general remarks necessary to provethat my unreciprocated affection for Chu Chu was not purely individualor singular. And I may add that to these general characteristics shebrought the waywardness of her capricious sex.She came to me out of the rolling dust of an emigrant wagon, behindwhose tailboard she was gravely trotting. She was a half-brokencolt--in which character she had at different times unseated everybodyin the train--and, although covered with dust, she had a beautiful coatand the most lambent gazelle-like eyes I had ever seen. I think shekept these latter organs purely for ornament--apparently looking atthings with her nose, her sensitive ears, and sometimes even a slightlifting of her slim near foreleg. On our first interview I thought shefavored me with a coy glance, but as it was accompanied by anirrelevant "Look out!" from her owner, the teamster, I was not certain.I only know that after some conversation, a good deal of mentalreservation, and the disbursement of considerable coin, I found myselfstanding in the dust of the departing emigrant wagon with one end of aforty-foot _riata_ in my hand and Chu Chu at the other.I pulled invitingly at my own end and even advanced a step or twotowards her. She then broke into a long disdainful pace and began tocircle round me at the extreme limit of her tether. I stood admiringher free action for some moments--not always turning with her, whichwas tiring--until I found that she was gradually winding herself up _onme_! Her frantic astonishment when she suddenly found herself thusbrought up against me was one of the most remarkable things I ever sawand nearly took me off my legs. Then when she had pulled against the_riata_ until her narrow head and prettily arched neck were on aperfectly straight line with it, she as suddenly slackened the tensionand condescended to follow me, at an angle of her own choosing.Sometimes it was on one side of me, sometimes on the other. Even thenthe sense of my dreadful contiguity apparently would come upon her likea fresh discovery, and she would become hysterical. But I do not thinkthat she really _saw_ me. She looked at the _riata_ and sniffed itdisparagingly; she pawed some pebbles that were near me tentativelywith her small hoof; she started back with a Robinson-Crusoe-likehorror of my footprints in the wet gully, but my actual personalpresence she ignored. She would sometimes pause, with her headthoughtfully between her forelegs, and apparently say, "There is someextraordinary presence here: animal, vegetable, or mineral--I can'tmake out which--but it's not good to eat, and I loathe and detest it."When I reached my house in the suburbs, before entering the "fiftyvara" lot inclosure, I deemed it prudent to leave her outside while Iinformed the household of my purchase; and with this object I tetheredher by the long _riata_ to a solitary sycamore which stood in thecentre of the road, the crossing of two frequented thoroughfares. Itwas not long, however, before I was interrupted by shouts and screamsfrom that vicinity and on returning thither I found that Chu Chu, withthe assistance of her _riata_, had securely wound up two of myneighbors to the tree, where they presented the appearance of earlyChristian martyrs. When I released them, it appeared that they had beenattracted by Chu Chu's graces, and had offered her overtures ofaffection, to which she had characteristically rotated with thismiserable result.I led her, with some difficulty, warily keeping clear of the _riata_,to the inclosure, from whose fence I had previously removed severalbars. Although the space was wide enough to have admitted a troop ofcavalry, she affected not to notice it and managed to kick away part ofanother section on entering. She resisted the stable for some time, butafter carefully examining it with her hoofs and an affectedly meekoutstretching of her nose, she consented to recognize some oats in thefeed-box--without looking at them--and was formally installed. All thiswhile she had resolutely ignored my presence. As I stood watching her,she suddenly stopped eating; the same reflective look came over her."Surely I am not mistaken, but that same obnoxious creature issomewhere about here!" she seemed to say, and shivered at thepossibility.It was probably this which made me confide my unreciprocated affectionto one of my neighbors--a man supposed to be an authority on horses,and particularly of that wild species to which Chu Chu belonged. It washe who, leaning over the edge of the stall where she was complacentlyand, as usual, obliviously munching, absolutely dared to toy with a petlock of hair which she wore over the pretty star on her forehead. "Yesee, captain," he said with jaunty easiness, "hosses is like wimmen; yedon't want ter use any standoffishness or shyness with _them_; a stiddybut keerless sort o' familiarity, a kind o' free but firm handlin',jess like this, to let her see who's master----"We never clearly knew _how_ it happened; but when I picked up myneighbor from the doorway, amid the broken splinters of the stall railand a quantity of oats that mysteriously filled his hair and pockets,Chu Chu was found to have faced around the other way and wascontemplating her forelegs, with her hind ones in the other stall. Myneighbor spoke of damages while he was in the stall, and of physicalcoercion when he was out of it again. But here Chu Chu, in somemarvelous way, righted herself, and my neighbor departed hurriedly witha brimless hat and an unfinished sentence.My next intermediary was Enriquez Saltello--a youth of my age, and thebrother of Consuelo Saltello, whom I adored. As a Spanish Californianhe was presumed, on account of Chu Chu's half-Spanish origin, to havesuperior knowledge of her character, and I even vaguely believed thathis language and accent would fall familiarly on her ear. There was thedrawback, however, that he always preferred to talk in a marvelousEnglish, combining Castilian[145-1] precision with what he fondlybelieved to be Californian slang."To confer then as to thees horse, which is not--observe me--a Mexicanplug![145-2] Ah, no! you can your boots bet on that. She is ofCastilian stock--believe me and strike me dead! I will myself atdifferent times overlook and affront her in the stable, examine her asto the assault, and why she should do thees thing. When she is of theexercise, I will also accost and restrain her. Remain tranquil, myfriend! When a few days shall pass, much shall be changed, and she willbe as another. Trust your oncle do thees thing! Comprehend me!Everything shall be lovely, and the goose hang high!"Conformably with this, he "overlooked" her the next day, with acigarette between his yellow-stained finger tips, which made her sneezein a silent pantomimic way, and certain blandishments of speech whichshe received with more complacency. But I don't think she ever evenlooked at him. In vain he protested that she was the "dearest" and"littlest" of his "little loves"--in vain he asserted that she was hispatron saint, and that it was his soul's delight to pray to her; sheaccepted the compliment with her eyes fixed upon the manger. When hehad exhausted his whole stock of endearing diminutives, adding a fewplayful and more audacious sallies, she remained with her head down, asif inclined to meditate upon them. This he declared was at least animprovement on her former performances. It may have been my ownjealousy, but I fancied she was only saying to herself, "Gracious! canthere be _two_ of them?""Courage and patience, my friend," he said, as we were slowly quittingthe stable. "Thees horse is yonge, and has not yet the habitude of theperson. To-morrow, at another season, I shall give to her a foundling"("fondling," I have reason to believe, was the word intended byEnriquez)--"and we shall see. It shall be as easy as to fall away froma log. A leetle more of this chin music which your friend Enriquezpossesses, and some tapping of the head and neck, and you are there.You are ever the right side up. Houp la! But let us not precipitatethis thing. The more haste, we do not so much accelerate ourselves."He appeared to be suiting the action to the word as he lingered in thedoorway of the stable. "Come on," I said."Pardon," he returned, with a bow that was both elaborate and evasive,"but you shall yourself precede me--the stable is _yours_.""Oh, come along!" I continued impatiently. To my surprise, he seemed tododge back into the stable again. After an instant he reappeared."Pardon! but I am re-strain! Of a truth, in this instant I am grasp bythe mouth of thees horse in the coat-tail of my dress! She will that Ishould remain. It would seem"--he disappeared again--"that"--he was outonce more--"the experiment is a sooccess! She reciprocate! She is, of atruth, gone on me. It is lofe!"--a stronger pull from Chu Chu here senthim in again--"but"--he was out now triumphantly with half his garmenttorn away--"I shall coquet."Nothing daunted, however, the gallant fellow was back next day with aMexican saddle and attired in the complete outfit of a _vaquero_.[147-1]Overcome though he was by heavy deerskin trousers, open at the sidefrom the knees down, and fringed with bullion buttons, an enormous flat_sombrero_,[147-2] and stiff, short embroidered velvet jacket, I wasmore concerned at the ponderous saddle and equipments intended for theslim Chu Chu. That these would hide and conceal her beautiful curvesand contour, as well as overweight her, seemed certain; that she wouldresist them all to the last seemed equally clear. Nevertheless, to mysurprise, when she was led out, and the saddle thrown deftly across herback, she was passive. Was it possible that some drop of her oldSpanish blood responded to its clinging embrace? She did not eitherlook at it nor smell it. But when Enriquez began to tighten the "cinch"or girth, a more singular thing occurred. Chu Chu visibly distended herslender barrel to twice its dimensions; the more he pulled the more sheswelled, until I was actually ashamed of her. Not so Enriquez. Hesmiled at us, and complacently stroked his thin moustache."Eet is ever so! She is the child of her grandmother! Even when youshall make saddle thees old Castilian stock, it will make large--itwill become a balloon! Eet is trick--eet is a leetle game--believe me.For why?"I had not listened, as I was at that moment astonished to see thesaddle slowly slide under Chu Chu's belly, and her figure resume, as ifby magic, its former slim proportions. Enriquez followed my eyes,lifted his shoulders, shrugged them, and said smilingly, "Ah, you see!"When the girths were drawn in again with an extra pull or two from theindefatigable Enriquez, I fancied that Chu Chu nevertheless secretlyenjoyed it, as her sex is said to appreciate tight-lacing. She drew adeep sigh, possibly of satisfaction, turned her neck, and apparentlytried to glance at her own figure--Enriquez promptly withdrawing toenable her to do so easily. Then the dread moment arrived. Enriquez,with his hand on her mane, suddenly paused and, with exaggeratedcourtesy, lifted his hat and made an inviting gesture."You will honor me to precede."I shook my head laughingly."I see," responded Enriquez gravely. "You have to attend the obsequiesof your aunt who is dead, at two of the clock. You have to meet yourbroker who has bought you feefty share of the Comstock lode[149-1]--atthees moment--or you are loss! You are excuse! Attend! Gentlemen, makeyour bets! The band has arrived to play! 'Ere we are!"With a quick movement the alert young fellow had vaulted into thesaddle. But, to the astonishment of both of us, the mare remainedperfectly still. There was Enriquez bolt upright in the stirrups,completely overshadowing by his saddle-flaps, leggings, and giganticspurs the fine proportions of Chu Chu, until she might have been aplacid Rosinante,[149-2] bestridden by some youthful Quixote. Sheclosed her eyes, she was going to sleep! We were dreadfullydisappointed. This clearly would not do. Enriquez lifted the reinscautiously! Chu Chu moved forward slowly--then stopped, apparently lostin reflection."Affront her on thees side."I approached her gently. She shot suddenly into the air, coming downagain on perfectly stiff legs with a springless jolt. This sheinstantly followed by a succession of other rocket-like propulsions,utterly unlike a leap, all over the inclosure. The movements of theunfortunate Enriquez were equally unlike any equitation I ever saw. Heappeared occasionally over Chu Chu's head, astride her neck and tail,or in the free air, but never in the saddle. His rigid legs, however,never lost the stirrups, but came down regularly, accentuating herspringless hops. More than that, the disproportionate excess of rider,saddle, and accoutrements was so great that he had, at times, theappearance of lifting Chu Chu forcibly from the ground by superiorstrength, and of actually contributing to her exercise! As they cametowards me, a wild tossing and flying mass of hoofs and spurs, it wasnot only difficult to distinguish them apart, but to ascertain how muchof the jumping was done by Enriquez separately. At last Chu Chu broughtmatters to a close by making for the low-stretching branches of anoak-tree which stood at the corner of the lot. In a few moments sheemerged from it--but without Enriquez.I found the gallant fellow disengaging himself from the fork of abranch in which he had been firmly wedged, but still smiling andconfident, and his cigarette between his teeth. Then for the first timehe removed it, and seating himself easily on the branch with his legsdangling down, he blandly waved aside my anxious queries with a gentlereassuring gesture."Remain tranquil, my friend. Thees does not count! I have conquer--youobserve--for why? I have _never_ for once _arrive at the ground_!Consequent she is disappoint! She will ever that I _should_! But Ihave got her when the hair is not long! Your oncle Henry"--with anangelic wink--"is fly! He is ever a bully boy, with the eye of glass!Believe me. Behold! I am here! Big Injun! Whoop!"He leaped lightly to the ground. Chu Chu, standing watchfully at alittle distance, was evidently astonished at his appearance. She threwout her hind hoofs violently, shot up into the air until the stirrupscrossed each other high above the saddle, and made for the stable in asuccession of rabbit-like bounds--taking the precaution to remove thesaddle, on entering, by striking it against the lintel of the door."You observe," said Enriquez blandly, "she would make that thing of_me_. Not having the good occasion, she ees dissatisfied. Whereare you now?"Two or three days afterwards he rode her again with the sameresult--accepted by him with the same heroic complacency. As we didnot, for certain reasons, care to use the open road for this exerciseand as it was impossible to remove the tree, we were obliged to submitto the inevitable. On the following day I mounted her--undergoing thesame experience as Enriquez, with the individual sensation of fallingfrom a third-story window on top of a counting-house stool, and thevariation of being projected over the fence. When I found that Chu Chuhad not accompanied me, I saw Enriquez at my side. "More than ever itis become necessary that we should do thees things again," he saidgravely, as he assisted me to my feet. "Courage, my noble General! Godand Liberty! Once more on to the breach! Charge, Chestare, charge! Comeon, Don Stanley! 'Ere we are!"He helped me none too quickly to catch my seat again, for it apparentlyhad the effect of the turned peg on the enchanted horse in the ArabianNights,[152-1] and Chu Chu instantly rose into the air. But she camedown this time before the open window of the kitchen, and I alightedeasily on the dresser. The indefatigable Enriquez followed me."Won't this do?" I asked meekly."It ees _better_--for you arrive _not_ on the ground," he saidcheerfully; "but you should not once but a thousand times make trial!Ha! Go and win! Nevare die and say so! 'Eave ahead! 'Eave! There youare!"Luckily, this time I managed to lock the rowels of my long spurs underher girth, and she could not unseat me. She seemed to recognize thefact after one or two plunges, when to my great surprise, she suddenlysank to the ground and quietly rolled over me. The action disengaged myspurs, but righting herself without getting up, she turned herbeautiful head and absolutely _looked_ at me!--still in the saddle. Ifelt myself blushing! But the voice of Enriquez was at my side."Errise, my friend; you have conquer! It is _she_ who has arrive at theground! _You_ are all right. It is done; believe me, it is feenish! Nomore shall she make thees think. From thees instant you shall ride heras the cow--as the rail of thees fence--and remain tranquil. For she isa-broke! Ta-ta! Regain your hats, gentlemen! Pass in your checks! It isovar! How are you now?" He lit a fresh cigarette, put his hands in hispockets, and smiled at me blandly.For all that, I ventured to point out that the habit of alighting inthe fork of a tree, or the disengaging of one's self from the saddle onthe ground, was attended with inconvenience, and even ostentatiousdisplay. But Enriquez swept the objections away with a single gesture."It is the _preencipal_--the bottom _fact_--at which you arrive. Thenext come of himself! Many horse have achieve to mount the rider by theknees, and relinquish after thees same fashion. My grandfather had abarb of thees kind--but she has gone dead, and so have my grandfather.Which is sad and strange! Otherwise I shall make of them both aninstant example!"I ought to have said that although these performances were neveractually witnessed by Enriquez's sister--for reasons which he and Ithought sufficient--the dear girl displayed the greatest interest inthem and, perhaps aided by our mutually complimentary accounts of eachother, looked upon us both as invincible heroes. It is possible alsothat she over-estimated our success, for she suddenly demanded that Ishould _ride_ Chu Chu to her house, that she might see her. It wasnot far; by going through a back lane I could avoid the trees whichexercised such a fatal fascination for Chu Chu. There was a pleading,childlike entreaty in Consuelo's voice that I could not resist, with aslight flash from her lustrous dark eyes that I did not care toencourage. So I resolved to try it at all hazards.My equipment for the performance was modeled after Enriquez's previouscostume, with the addition of a few fripperies of silver and stampedleather out of compliment to Consuelo, and even with a faint hope thatit might appease Chu Chu. _She_ certainly looked beautiful in herglittering accoutrements, set off by her jet-black shining coat. Withan air of demure abstraction she permitted me to mount her, and evenfor a hundred yards or so indulged in a mincing maidenly amble that wasnot without a touch of coquetry. Encouraged by this, I addressed a fewterms of endearment to her, and in the exuberance of my youthfulenthusiasm I even confided to her my love for Consuelo and begged herto be "good" and not disgrace herself and me before my Dulcinea.[154-1]In my foolish trustfulness I was rash enough to add a caress and to pather soft neck. She stopped instantly with a hysteric shudder. I knewwhat was passing through her mind: she had suddenly become aware of mybaleful existence.The saddle and bridle Chu Chu was becoming accustomed to, but who wasthis living, breathing object that had actually touched her? Presentlyher oblique vision was attracted by the fluttering movement of a fallenoak leaf in the road before her. She had probably seen many oak leavesmany times before; her ancestors had no doubt been familiar with themon the trackless hills and in field and paddock, but this did not alterher profound conviction that I and the leaf were identical, that ourbaleful touch was something indissolubly connected. She reared beforethat innocent leaf, she revolved round it, and then fled from it at thetop of her speed.The lane passed before the rear wall of Saltello's garden.Unfortunately, at the angle of the fence stood a beautifulMadroo-tree, brilliant with its scarlet berries, and endeared to me asConsuelo's favorite haunt, under whose protecting shade I had more thanonce avowed my youthful passion. By the irony of fate Chu Chu caughtsight of it, and with a succession of spirited bounds instantly madefor it. In another moment I was beneath it, and Chu Chu shot like arocket into the air. I had barely time to withdraw my feet from thestirrups, to throw up one arm to protect my glazed sombrero and graspan over-hanging branch with the other, before Chu Chu darted off. Butto my consternation, as I gained a secure perch on the tree and lookedabout me, I saw her--instead of running away--quietly trot through theopen gate into Saltello's garden.Need I say that it was to the beneficent Enriquez that I again owed mysalvation? Scarcely a moment elapsed before his bland voice rose in aconcentrated whisper from the corner of the garden below me. He haddivined the dreadful truth!"For the love of God, collect to yourself many kinds of thees berry!All you can! Your full arms round! Rest tranquil. Leave to your oleoncle to make for you a delicate exposure. At the instant!"He was gone again. I gathered, wonderingly, a few of the largerclusters of parti-colored fruit and patiently waited. Presently hereappeared, and with him the lovely Consuelo--her dear eyes filled withan adorable anxiety."Yes," continued Enriquez to his sister, with a confidential loweringof tone but great distinctness of utterance, "it is ever so with theAmerican! He will ever make _first_ the salutation of the flower or thefruit, picked to himself by his own hand, to the lady where he call. Itis the custom of the American hidalgo![156-1] My God--what will you?_I_ make it not--it is so! Without doubt he is in this instant doingthees thing. That is why we have let go his horse to precede him here;it is always the etiquette to offer these things on the feet. Ah!Behold! it is he!--Don Francisco! Even now he will descend from theestree! Ah! You make the blush, little sister (archly)! I will retire! Iam discreet; two is not company for the one! I make tracks! I am gone!"How far Consuelo entirely believed and trusted her ingenious brother Ido not know, nor even then cared to inquire. For there was a prettymantling of her olive cheek, as I came forward with my offering, and acertain significant shyness in her manner that were enough to throw meinto a state of hopeless imbecility. And I was always miserablyconscious that Consuelo possessed an exalted sentimentality, and apredilection for the highest medival romance, in which I knew I waslamentably deficient. Even in our most confidential moments I wasalways aware that I weakly lagged behind this daughter of a gloomilydistinguished ancestry, in her frequent incursions into a vague butpoetic past. There was something of the dignity of the Spanish_chtelaine_[157-1] in the sweetly grave little figure that advanced toaccept my specious offering. I think I should have fallen on my kneesto present it, but for the presence of the all seeing Enriquez. But whydid I even at that moment remember that he had early bestowed upon herthe nickname of "Pomposa"? This, as Enriquez himself might haveobserved, was "sad and strange."I managed to stammer out something about the Madroo berries being ather "disposition" (the tree was in her own garden!), and she took thebranches in her little brown hand with a soft response to myunutterable glances.But here Chu Chu, momentarily forgotten, executed a happy diversion. Toour astonishment she gravely walked up to Consuelo and, stretching outher long slim neck, not only sniffed curiously at the berries, but evenprotruded a black underlip towards the young girl herself. In anotherinstant Consuelo's dignity melted. Throwing her arms around Chu Chu'sneck she embraced and kissed her. Young as I was, I understood thedivine significance of a girl's vicarious effusiveness at such amoment, and felt delighted. But I was the more astonished that theusually sensitive horse not only submitted to these caresses, butactually responded to the extent of affecting to nip my mistress'slittle right ear.This was enough for the impulsive Consuelo. She ran hastily into thehouse and in a few moments reappeared in a bewitching riding-shirt. Invain Enriquez and myself joined in earnest entreaty: the horse washardly broken for even a man's riding yet; the saints alone could tellwhat the nervous creature might do with a woman's skirt flipping at herside! We begged for delay, for reflection, for at least time to changethe saddle--but with no avail! Consuelo was determined, indignant,distressingly reproachful! Ah, well! if Don Pancho (an ingeniousdiminutive of my Christian name) valued his horse so highly--if he werejealous of the evident devotion of the animal to herself, he would--buthere I succumbed! And then I had the felicity of holding that littlefoot for one brief moment in the hollow of my hand, of readjusting theskirt as she threw her knee over the saddle-horn, of clasping hertightly--only half in fear--as I surrendered the reins to her grasp.And to tell the truth, as Enriquez and I fell back, although I hadinsisted upon still keeping hold of the end of the _riata_, it was apicture to admire. The _petite_[158-1] figure of the young girl and thegraceful folds of her skirt admirably harmonized with Chu Chu's lithecontour, and as the mare arched her slim neck and raised her slenderhead under the pressure of the reins, it was so like the liftedvelvet-capped toreador[159-1] crest of Consuelo herself, that theyseemed of one race."I would not that you should hold the _riata_," said Consuelopetulantly.I hesitated--Chu Chu looked certainly very amiable--I let go. She beganto amble towards the gate, not mincingly as before, but with a freerand fuller stride. In spite of the incongruous saddle, the young girl'sseat was admirable. As they neared the gate, she cast a singlemischievous glance at me, jerked at the rein, and Chu Chu sprang intothe road at a rapid canter. I watched them fearfully and breathlessly,until at the end of the lane I saw Consuelo rein in slightly, wheeleasily, and come flying back. There was no doubt about it; the horsewas under perfect control. Her second subjugation was complete andfinal!Overjoyed and bewildered, I overwhelmed them with congratulations;Enriquez alone retaining the usual brotherly attitude of criticism anda superior toleration of a lover's enthusiasm. I ventured to hint toConsuelo (in what I believed was a safe whisper) that Chu Chu onlyshowed my own feelings towards her. "Without doubt," responded Enriquezgravely. "She have of herself assist you to climb to the tree to pullto yourself the berry for my sister." But I felt Consuelo's little handreturn my pressure, and I forgave and even pitied him.From that day forward, Chu Chu and Consuelo were not only firm friendsbut daily companions. In my devotion I would have presented the horseto the young girl, but with flattering delicacy she preferred to callit mine. "I shall erride it for you, Pancho," she said; "I shall feel,"she continued with exalted although somewhat vague poetry, "That it isof you! You lofe the beast--it is therefore of a necessity _you_, myPancho! It is _your_ soul I shall erride like the wings of thewind--your lofe in this beast shall be my only cavalier for ever." Iwould have preferred something whose vicarious qualities were lessuncertain than I still felt Chu Chu's to be, but I kissed the girl'shand submissively.It was only when I attempted to accompany her in the flesh, on anotherhorse, that I felt the full truth of my instinctive fears. Chu Chuwould not permit any one to approach her mistress's side. My mountedpresence revived in her all her old blind astonishment and disbelief inmy existence; she would start suddenly, face about, and back away fromme in utter amazement as if I had been only recently created, or withan affected modesty as if I had been just guilty of some graveindecorum towards her sex which she really could not stand. Thefrequency of these exhibitions in the public highway were not onlydistressing to me as a simple escort, but as it had the effect on thecasual spectators of making Consuelo seem to participate in Chu Chu'sobjections, I felt that, as a lover, it could not be borne. An attemptto coerce Chu Chu ended in her running away. And my frantic pursuit ofher was open to equal misconstruction. "Go it, Miss, the little dude isgainin' on you!" shouted by a drunken teamster to the frightenedConsuelo, once checked me in mid-career. Even the dear girl herself sawthe uselessness of my real presence, and after a while was content toride with "my soul."Notwithstanding this, I am not ashamed to say that it was my custom,whenever she rode out, to keep a slinking and distant surveillance ofChu Chu on another horse, until she had fairly settled down to herpace. A little nod of Consuelo's round black-and-red toreador hat or akiss tossed from her riding-whip was reward enough!I remember a pleasant afternoon when I was thus awaiting her in thevillage. The eternal smile of the Californian summer had begun to waverand grow less fixed; dust lay thick on leaf and blade; the dry hillswere clothed in russet leather; the trade winds were shifting to thesouth with an ominous warm humidity; a few days longer and the rainswould be here. It so chanced that this afternoon my seclusion on theroadside was accidentally invaded by a village belle--a Western younglady somewhat older than myself, and of flirtatious reputation. As shepersistently and--as I now have reason to believe--mischievouslylingered, I had only a passing glimpse of Consuelo riding past at anunaccustomed speed which surprised me at the moment. But as I reasonedlater that she was only trying to avoid a merely formal meeting, Ithought no more about it.It was not until I called at the house to fetch Chu Chu at the usualhour, and found that Consuelo had not yet returned, that a recollectionof Chu Chu's furious pace again troubled me. An hour passed--it wasgetting towards sunset, but there were no signs of Chu Chu nor hermistress. I became seriously alarmed. I did not care to reveal my fearsto the family, for I felt myself responsible for Chu Chu. At last Idesperately saddled my horse and galloped off in the direction she hadtaken. It was the road to Rosario and the _hacienda_[162-1] of one ofher relations, where she sometimes halted.The road was a very unfrequented one, twisting like a mountainriver--indeed, it was the bed of an old watercourse--between brownhills of wild oats, and debouching at last into a broad blue lake-likeexpanse of alfalfa[162-2] meadows. In vain I strained my eyes over themonotonous level; nothing appeared to rise above or move across it. Inthe faint hope that she might have lingered at the _hacienda_, I wasspurring on again when I heard a slight splashing on my left. I lookedaround. A broad patch of fresher-colored herbage and a cluster ofdwarfed alders indicated a hidden spring. I cautiously approached itsquaggy edges, when I was shocked by what appeared to be a suddenvision! Mid-leg deep in the center of a greenish pool stood Chu Chu!But without a strap or buckle of harness upon her--as naked as when shewas foaled!For a moment I could only stare at her in bewildered terror. Far fromrecognizing me, she seemed to be absorbed in a nymph-like contemplationof her own graces in the pool. Then I called "Consuelo!" and gallopedfrantically around the spring. But there was no response, nor was thereanything to be seen but the all-unconscious Chu Chu. The pool, thankHeaven! was not deep enough to have drowned any one; there were nosigns of a struggle on its quaggy edges. The horse might have come froma distance! I galloped on, still calling. A few hundred yards further Idetected the vivid glow of Chu Chu's scarlet saddle-blanket in thebrush near the trail. My heart leaped--I was on the track. I calledagain; this time a faint reply, in accents I knew too well, came fromthe field beside me!Consuelo was there! reclining beside a manzanita bush which screenedher from the road, in what struck me, even at that supreme moment, as ajudicious and picturesquely selected couch of scented Indian grass anddry tussocks. The velvet hat with its balls of scarlet plush was laidcarefully aside; her lovely blue-black hair retained its tight coilsundisheveled, her eyes were luminous and tender. Shocked as I was ather apparent helplessness, I remember being impressed with the factthat it gave so little indication of violent usage or disaster.I threw myself frantically on the ground beside her."You are hurt, Consita! For Heaven's sake, what has happened?"She pushed my hat back with her little hand, and tumbled my hairgently."Nothing. _You_ are here, Pancho--eet is enofe! What shall come afterthees--when I am perhaps gone among the grave--make nothing! _You_ arehere--I am happy. For a little, perhaps--not mooch.""But," I went on desperately, "was it an accident? Were you thrown? Wasit Chu Chu?"--for somehow, in spite of her languid posture and voice, Icould not, even in my fears, believe her seriously hurt."Beat not the poor beast, Pancho. It is not from _her_ comes theesthing. She have make nothing--believe me! I have come upon yourassignation with Miss Essmith! I make but to pass you--to fly--to nevercome back! I have say to Chu Chu, 'Fly!' We fly many miles. Sometimestogether, sometimes not so mooch! Sometimes in the saddle, sometimes onthe neck! Many things remain in the road; at the end, I myself remain!I have say, 'Courage, Pancho will come!' Then I say, 'No, he is talkwith Miss Essmith!' I remember not more. I have creep here on thehands. Eet is feenish!"I looked at her distractedly. She smiled tenderly and slightly smootheddown and rearranged a fold of her dress to cover her delicate littleboot."But," I protested, "you are not much hurt, dearest. You have broken nobones. Perhaps," I added, looking at the boot, "only a slight sprain.Let me carry you to my horse; I will walk beside you, home. Do, dearestConsita!"She turned her lovely eyes towards me sadly. "You comprehend not, mypoor Pancho! It is not of the foot, the ankle, the arm, or the headthat I can say, 'She is broke.' I would it were even so. But"--shelifted her sweet lashes slowly--"I have derrange my inside. It is anaffair of my family. My grandfather have once toomble over the bull ata _rodeo_.[165-1] He speak no more; he is dead. For why? He hasderrange his inside. Believe me, it is of the family. You comprehend?The Saltellos are not as the other peoples for this. When I am gone,you will bring to me the berry to grow upon my tomb, Pancho; the berryyou have picked for me. The little flower will come too, the littlestar will arrive, but Consuelo, who lofe you, she will come not more!"When you are happy and talk in the road to the Essmith, you will notthink of me. You will not see my eyes, Pancho; thees little grass"--sheran her plump little fingers through a tussock--"will hide them; andthe small animals in the black coats that lif here will have muchsorrow--but you will not. It ees better so! My father will not that I,a Catholique, should marry into a camp-meeting and lif in a tent." (Itwas one of Consuelo's bewildering beliefs that there was only one formof dissent--Methodism!) "He will not that I should marry a man whopossess not the many horses, ox, and cow, like him. But _I_ care not._You_ are my only religion, Pancho! I have enofe of the horse, and ox,and cow when _you_ are with me! Kiss me, Pancho. Perhaps it is for thelast time--the feenish! Who knows?"There were tears in her lovely eyes; I felt that my own were growingdim; the sun was sinking over the dreary plain to the slow rising ofthe wind; and infinite loneliness had fallen upon us, and yet I wasmiserably conscious of some dreadful unreality in it all. A desire tolaugh, which I felt must be hysterical, was creeping over me; I darednot speak. But her dear head was on my shoulder, and the situation wasnot unpleasant.Nevertheless, something must be done! This was the more difficult as itwas by no means clear what had already been done. Even while Isupported her drooping figure, I was straining my eyes across hershoulder for succor of some kind. Suddenly the figure of a rapid riderappeared upon the road. It seemed familiar. I looked again--it was theblessed Enriquez! A sense of deep relief came over me. I lovedConsuelo; but never before had lover ever hailed the irruption of oneof his beloved's family with such complacency."You are safe, dearest; it is Enriquez!"I thought she received the information coldly. Suddenly she turned uponme her eyes, now bright and glittering. "Swear to me at the instant,Pancho, that you will not again look upon Miss Essmith, even for once."I was simple and literal. Miss Smith was my nearest neighbor, andunless I was stricken with blindness, compliance was impossible. Ihesitated--but swore."Enofe--you have hesitate--I will no more."She rose to her feet with grave deliberation. For an instant, with therecollection of the delicate internal organization of the Saltellos onmy mind, I was in agony lest she should totter and fall, even then,yielding up her gentle spirit on the spot. But when I looked again, shehad a hairpin between her white teeth and was carefully adjusting hertoreador hat. And beside us was Enriquez--cheerful, alert, voluble, andundaunted."Eureka! I have found! We are all here! Eet is a leetle public--eh! Aleetle too much of a front seat for a _tte--tte_,[167-1] my yongefriends," he said, glancing at the remains of Consuelo's bower, "butfor the accounting of taste there is none. What will you? The meat ofthe one man shall envenom the meat of the other. But" (in a whisper tome) "as to thees horse--thees Chu Chu, which I have just pass--why isshe undress? Surely you would no make an exposition of her to thetraveler to suspect! And if not, why so?"I tried to explain, looking at Consuelo, that Chu Chu had run away,that Consuelo had met with a terrible accident, had been thrown, and Ifeared had suffered serious internal injury. But to my embarrassmentConsuelo maintained a half scornful silence, and an inconsistentfreshness of healthful indifference, as Enriquez approached her with anengaging smile. "Ah, yes, she have the headache, and the molligrubs.She will sit on the damp stone when the gentle dew is falling. Icomprehend. Meet me in the lane when the clock strike nine! But," in alower voice, "of thees undress horse I comprehend nothing! Look you--itis sad and strange."He went off to fetch Chu Chu, leaving me and Consuelo alone. I do notthink I ever felt so utterly abject and bewildered before in my life.Without knowing why, I was miserably conscious of having in some wayoffended the girl for whom I believed I would have given my life, and Ihad made her and myself ridiculous in the eyes of her brother. I hadagain failed in my slower Western nature to understand her highromantic Spanish soul! Meantime she was smoothing out her riding habit,and looking as fresh and pretty as when she first left her house."Consita," I said hesitatingly, "you are not angry with me?""Angry?" she repeated haughtily, without looking at me. "Oh, no! Of apossibility eet is Mees Essmith who is angry that I have interroopt hertte--tte with you, and have send here my brother to make the samewith me.""But," I said eagerly, "Miss Smith does not even know Enriquez!"Consuelo turned on me a glance of unutterable significance. "Ah!" shesaid darkly, "you _tink_!"Indeed I _knew_. But here I believed I understood Consuelo and wasrelieved. I even ventured to say gently, "And you are better?"She drew herself up to her full height, which was not much. "Of myhealth, what is it? A nothing. Yes! Of my soul let us not speak."Nevertheless, when Enriquez appeared with Chu Chu she ran towards herwith outstretched arms. Chu Chu protruded about six inches of upper lipin response--apparently under the impression, which I could quiteunderstand, that her mistress was edible. And, I may have beenmistaken, but their beautiful eyes met in an absolute and distinctglance of intelligence!During the home journey Consuelo recovered her spirits and parted fromme with a magnanimous and forgiving pressure of the hand. I do not knowwhat explanation of Chu Chu's original escapade was given to Enriquezand the rest of the family; the inscrutable forgiveness extended to meby Consuelo precluded any further inquiry on my part. I was willing toleave it a secret between her and Chu Chu. But strange to say, itseemed to complete our own understanding, and precipitated, not onlyour love-making, but the final catastrophe which culminated thatromance. For we had resolved to elope. I do not know that this heroicremedy was absolutely necessary from the attitude of either Consuelo'sfamily or my own; I am inclined to think we preferred it because itinvolved no previous explanation or advice.Need I say that our confidant and firm ally was Consuelo's brother--thealert, the linguistic, the ever-happy, ever-ready Enriquez? It wasunderstood that his presence would not only give a certain maturerespectability to our performance--but I do not think we would havecontemplated this step without it. During one of our riding excursionswe were to secure the services of a Methodist minister in the adjoiningcounty, and later that of the Mission _padre_[169-1]--when the secretwas out. "I will gif her away," said Enriquez confidently, "it will onthe instant propitiate the old fellow who shall perform the affair andwithhold his jaw. A little chin-music from your oncle 'Arry shallfinish it! Remain tranquil and forget not a ring! One does not always,in the agony and dissatisfaction of the moment, a ring remember. Ishall bring two in the pocket of my dress."If I did not entirely participate in this roseate view, it may havebeen because Enriquez, although a few years my senior, was muchyounger-looking, and with his demure deviltry of eye and his upper lipclose shaven for this occasion, he suggested a depraved acolyte ratherthan a responsible member of a family. Consuelo had also confided to methat her father--possibly owing to some rumors of our previousescapade--had forbidden any further excursions with me alone. Theinnocent man did not know that Chu Chu had forbidden it also, and thateven on this momentous occasion both Enriquez and myself were obligedto ride in opposite fields like out-flankers. But we nevertheless feltthe full guilt of disobedience added to our desperate enterprise.Meanwhile, although pressed for time and subject to discovery at anymoment, I managed at certain points of the road to dismount and walkbeside Chu Chu (who did not seem to recognize me on foot), holdingConsuelo's hand in my own, with the discreet Enriquez leading my horsein the distant field. I retain a very vivid picture of that walk--theascent of a gentle slope towards a prospect as yet unknown but full ofglorious possibilities; the tender dropping light of an autumn sky,slightly filmed with the promise of the future rains, like foreshadowedtears, and the half-frightened, half-serious talk into which Consueloand I had insensibly fallen.And then, I don't know how it happened, but as we reached the summitChu Chu suddenly reared, wheeled, and the next moment was flying backalong the road we had just traveled, at the top of her speed! It mighthave been that, after her abstracted fashion, she only at that momentdetected my presence; but so sudden and complete was her evolution thatbefore I could regain my horse from the astonished Enriquez she wasalready a quarter of a mile on the homeward stretch, with the franticConsuelo pulling hopelessly at the bridle.We started in pursuit. But a horrible despair seized us. To attempt toovertake her, even to follow at the same rate of speed would onlyexcite Chu Chu and endanger Consuelo's life. There was absolutely nohelp for it, nothing could be done; the mare had taken her determined,long, continuous stride, the road was a straight, steady descent allthe way back to the village, Chu Chu had the bit between her teeth, andthere was no prospect of swerving her. We could only follow hopelessly,idiotically, furiously, until Chu Chu dashed triumphantly into theSaltellos' courtyard, carrying the half-fainting Consuelo back to thearms of her assembled and astonished family.It was our last ride together. It was the last I ever saw of Consuelobefore her transfer to the safe seclusion of a convent in SouthernCalifornia. It was the last I ever saw of Chu Chu, who in the confusionof that _rencontre_[172-1] was overlooked in her half-loosed harnessand allowed to escape through the back gate to the fields. Monthsafterwards it was said that she had been identified among a band ofwild horses in the Coast Range, as a strange and beautiful creature whohad escaped the brand of the _rodeo_ and had become a myth. There wasanother legend that she had been seen, sleek, fat, and gorgeouslycaparisoned, issuing from the gateway of the Rosario _patio_,[172-2]before a lumbering Spanish _cabriol_[172-3] in which a short, stoutmatron was seated--but I will have none of it. For there are days whenshe still lives, and I can see her plainly still climbing the gentleslope towards the summit, with Consuelo on her back and myself at herside, pressing eagerly forward towards the illimitable prospect thatopens in the distance.

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